It’s the digital age and we all love to share the amazing photos we shoot with friends and family via Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, etc. However, most of us face a very disturbing problem with taking photo – we never get them right. We see something captivating and simply breathtaking but when we shoot and capture it, it doesn’t quite look as beautiful as we wanted it to be. Sometimes, we wonder if there is some special skill or tip for taking great city photos with your smartphone. This article is not about taking ‘selfies,’ but it is for taking city photos. I love taking photos and here are seven important things I do while using my smartphone to capture places in photos.
10 Tips for Taking Photos with Your Smartphone
Well, yes, there is a skill or tip that many people ignore. They may know about it already, but somehow they get it all wrong. Try these tips below:
#1: Prepare for It and Always Be Ready
If you are a photography enthusiast like me, then you need to be ready for the opportunity to capture something beautiful at any time. Always keep your smartphone set. Put the camera shortcut on the home screen for quick and easy access whenever you need it. Whenever you leave home, make sure that the battery has enough charge, and keep your adapter with you so that you can charge it.
#2: Find What You Want to Capture
As a photographer, you must have an eye for the perfect picture. A challenge for you is to make sure that the image you capture is exactly what you see. Often, photographers feel disappointed when the photo doesn’t have the element they actually want to capture and show people. Only take photos when you are sure that the lens is showing exactly what you see before capturing photos with your smartphone.
Must read: Finding Your Inner Photographer: Making the Most of Your Camera
#3: Never Rush It
The beauty of landscapes and cities lies within that moment. It has to be natural, balanced, and complete. If you want to capture the first rays of dawn, then you have to wait for the right moment. If you get to the site too early, you will get tired of waiting. Get there at least just ten minutes before time so that you are set and mentally ready for it. If you want birds in the background, do not be too quick and scare them away. Take it easy – be patient.
#4: Lighting is Important
Depending on what you want to capture, make sure the lighting is perfect. Usually, taking photos at noon is ideal for large buildings. However, if you want to make it rather serene and calming, wait until the sun is cooler or almost close to sunset. Taking photos on a cloudy and windy day is also a great idea.
#5: Make a Backup Copy of the Image without Tampering with It
When you’ve captured photos with your smartphone, make sure you save a copy of the original image somewhere before editing it. If you want to revert all changes and start over with the editing a backup would be helpful.
#6: Adjust the Hue and Sharpness
There are no fixed hue settings, so if anyone told you otherwise, it’s not true. Go with your instinct and trust your vision. The way you look at the photo you’ve captured governs the best hue settings you want. Feel free to play with the settings until the image is exactly how you want it.
#7: Adjust the Sharpness
Have you heard people recommend that the image sharpness should be 100%? I disagree with that rule just so you’d know. While taking photos of cities, it is not a fixed rule. Some structures require 50-70% sharpness before they deliver the right impact on viewers. You have to go with what you can see and what you want to show people. Whatever you do, just make sure that the image is sharp enough, without compromising the quality of the photos with your smartphone.
#8: Find the Right Angle
I really recommend that you use a tripod to make sure you capture steady images. This helps you to have a steady hand without blurring the image. Another important aspect is angling. Unless you angle the camera just right, you cannot show people the beauty you see in the landscapes. Be brave enough to play with your camera. Turn and twist it in different angles to get the best effects. In the past, people were too formal with the camera, now there are selfie-sticks too. You can add yourself to the background of the photos of cities to make the image look even better.
#9: Make Sure You “SEE” What You “SEE”
After taking the photo, check it. Make sure it shows exactly what you see in the landscape. If you don’t see what you want, take another shot. Have you noticed that photographers take multiple shots of the same thing? This is why they do that! They adjust their lens multiple times and shoot until they finally feel satisfied with what they have.
#10: Use Photoshop
If you hear photographers lying about sticking to their nature photography skills, it’s a big lie! Three decades ago, there were no such things as Photoshop. Now it is! People use this and many other photo editing tools to improve the images they capture. Get one of those and work on the images until they look amazing. There is no shame in improving the quality of the images. I think that knowing how to use photo editors is a very important skill photographers today must have.
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